Collapsible cot



5. J. BLAHA COLLAPSIBLE COT July 16, 1935.

Filed Aug. 5, 1935 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l v tL; HT Illllllllllllllillllll:IIIIIIIIHIIllllfiilllllllllllllmMIME July 16, 1935. 5. J. BLAHA 2,008,616

COLLAPSIBLE COT Filed Aug. 5,1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 16, 1935 COLLAPSIBLE COT Stephen J. Blaha, Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to The Rome Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,813

5Claims. (o1.5+110 5 ered when not in use.

Although not limited to this parti'cular field, my invention is particularly applicable to socalled studio couches inwhich there is a rigid box-like structurethat forms the couch proper, and a low bed or cot that may be housed within the main structure when not in use. In the or-\ dinary studio couch the the auxiliary bed or cot is quite low and its height is only slightly in creased by laying thereon a cushion or pad taken from the top of the box-like'structure. The removal of the cushion or the pad from the couch proper, of course, reduces the heightof the latter so that, even though a double bed may be produced, the whole thereof is ordinarily too close to the floor. Viewed in one of itsaspects, the

present invention maybe said to havefor its object to make it possible to convert a studio couch into a double bed or into two single'beds the height of which is equal to the maximum height of the couch. In other'words, the invention may be said to have for its object to permit a studio couch to be converted into a double bed or into two single beds of uniform height, without reducing the'height of the couch proper.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings,

wherein: I V Figure 1 is a side view of my improved cot or bed inia raised position, ready for use, a fragment of the cover of the mattress-supporting spring being broken away; Fig.2 is a bottom plan view of the cot, the mattress-supporting spring structure being omitted; Fig. 3 is a side view of a cot or bed, on a somewhat smaller scale than Figs. 1 and 2, showing the cot or bed in its lowered position; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cot as it appears in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an end view, on the same scale as Figs. 1 and 2, showing the cot as it appears in'Fig.'1; and Fig. 6 is a section on line 5-6 of Fig. 1.

is in the form of a bed spring containing vertical coil springs 2. Also, in the arrangement shown,

there is a fabric cover 3 extending over themat,. tress support to conceal the same. Overlyingthe mattress support is a suitable mattress or cushion 4. These parts may all be of any usualor suitable types and constructions; the particular arrangement that I have illustrated being intended only to serve the purpose of making clear the application of my invention to cots or beds,

The frame is supported upon four legs 5, 5 that may conveniently be pieces of channel ironj fas tened at their upper ends'to the side barsof the frame by pins 6, B which serve as hinge pins. The two legs at each end are connected together, near their lower ends, by a crossbar lso that both swing as a single unit; The two leg units may be folded up against the under side 'ofthe frame, as shown in Fig. 3, or they may be swung down into supporting positions, as shown in Fig. 1. When the leg units are in their supporting positions they stand at an angle to each other, being farther apart at their lower ends'than at their hinge pins. As it is at no time-desirable that the leg units swing toward each other into upright positions or'past such upright positions, I provide each leg with a projection 8 lyingabove the hinge pin and adapted 'to'strike against the under side of the frame before 'the leg units swing too far toward each other. When the leg units are unfolded, as shown in Fig. 1, they do not of themselves hold up the bed structure but, unless assisted by other means,'will' permit that structure to drop again. The means to prevent the dropping of the bed structure, after it has been raised, consists of four levers 9, 9, two at each end of the structure, each leg and the corresponding lever lying in the same vertical plane. In the arrangement shown, the levers are in the form of bell cranks each pinned'to the side members of the cot frame, as indicated at l0, to swing about an axis parallel tothe hinge axes of the leg units. The inner' end of'each'bell crank lever is provided with a'wheel or roller' -H" adapted to ride in the trough of'the corresponding leg. The other end of each bell crank lever is adapted to engage with a stationary stop on the cot frame when the cot is raised. On one side of the frame the stationary stops are lugs l2 fixed to the frame and conveniently forming 'exten sions of the end bars of the latter. On the other side of the frame, the stops may conveniently be the hooks I 3 by'means of which the cot is adapted to be coupled to the body member of a'studio couch. The pivot pins of each pair of bellcrank levers lie between the adjacent'end of the cot frame'and the hinge axis of the corresponding leg unit. Consequently, the weight .of the bed or cot and its load, which acts in a direction to force the hinged ends of the leg units down, is prevented from causing the collapse of the structure because a downward movement of the bed or cot struc-- ture cannot occur unless the contacting ends of the bell crank levers can be pushed out of the way. The bell crank levers cannot swing in one direction because they are engaged with stops, and they cannot swing in the opposite direction because the load is imposed on the hinge or pivot pins In just as it is on the hinge pins 6. In other words, the inner ends of the bell crank levers extend inwardly and downwardly in such directions that the angles between the same and the lower ends of the corresponding legs are no greater than a right angle; so that they must first be swung downward into such positions that these angles are greater than a right angle before the upward pressure of the leg units thereon can have any effect in causing movements of the levers.

The inner ends of the two bell crank levers at each end of the structure are connected together by a rod 14 which may serve also as the shaft or axle for the corresponding rollers I]. These rods am in turn connected together by a spring-held equalizing means. In the arrangement shown, this equalizing means consists of a transverse bar liunderlying a cross member I5 placed at the middle of the frame I; the bar l5 being pivoted at its middle to this cross member, as indicated at 11. From each end of the cross bar extends a long link "which is in turn connected to one of the rods l4. Between each end of the cross bar l5" and the adjacent side member of the bed or eat frame is a strong tension spring l9, one end of which is connected to the cross bar and the other end-to the frame. The springs are so placed that they are under an initial tension when the cot is in itsraised condition, and hold the cross bar l5 almost'parallel with the transverse frame memher I i. In order to swing the bell crank lever devices past center so as to permit the weight of the structure to act in a direction to swing them out of the way of the leg units and enable the latter to fold up against the under side of the frame, it is necessary to stretch the springs. In other words, the bell crank lever devices are held in the position shown in Fig. 1, after having been brought there, by the pull of the springs.

The bell" crank levers are provided with extensions or arms 20 that are continued beyond the ends of the frame; the extensions or arms at each'end of the structure being connected together by a cross bar or rod 2! that serves as a handle and also as a means to hold down the mattresswhen swung up over the top of the same upon lowering or collapsing the structure, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, and it being desired to lower or collapse the structure, one of the handle bars is grasped and is pulled up with one hand while the other hand is pressing down on the mattress. These combined forces result in swinging the bell crank lever devices away from the leg units so as to permit the latter to fold up against the under side of the frame as the frame descends; each leg being pref erably provided at its lower end with a roller 22 to. permit the lower end of each leg to roll along the floor as the lower ends of the leg units spread apart from each other during the lowering of the bed or cot structure.

It be seen that the springs l9 are stretched during the process of lowering the bed or cot so that energy is stored up in the same to lift the bed or cot when it is again desired to open or raise the latter. Therefore, when the bed or cot is to be raised or opened, one of the handles is grasped and is pulled upwardly and outwardly toward the adjacent end of the bed or cot, the corresponding rollers ll pressing down on the underlying leg unit and running along the same toward the hinge axis of the latter. During all of this time the springs are exerting their pull which eventually results in the lifting of the bed structure. The bell crank devices at both ends of the structure, being connected by the equalizing means, move in unison with each other. During the first part of the swinging movements of the bell crank units it is necessary to exert a moderate pull on the handle; but, as soon as the bell crank units have passed center, as it were, the springs exert a powerful effort and complete the swingingof the bell crank units into the position shown in Fig. 1 and, consequently, complete the raising or opening .of the bed or cot. At no time, however, either in the raising or in the lowering of the structure, is it necessary to exert any great manual effort, and therefore the opening and the closing of the structure is simple and easy. 7

By properly proportioning the parts, the cot or bed may be caused to stand at the full height of an ordinary couch or bed, when it is opened or raised, and yet be low enough, when closed-or lowered, to be conveniently housed within the box portion of a studio couch or the like.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and ,de-. scribed; but intend to cover all forms and arrangement which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a. frame, of leg devices hinged to the frame, interconnected lever mechanism including two levers pivoted to. the frame near each end and outwardlyfrom the corresponding leg devices, the inner end of each lever being adapted to rest on and ride-along the adjacent leg device and swing it down'when the inner end of the lever is swung up, a handle extending between and flxedto the outer ends of the levers at each end of the frame and spring means tending constantly to swing said levers in the directions to raise their inner ends.

2. The combination with a frame, of leg devices hinged to the frame and adapted to stand in downwardly and outwardly inclined positions at each end of the frame when the frame is elevated, interconnected lever mechanism including two levers pivoted to the frame near each end of the latter and outwardly from the corresponding leg devices, the inner end of each lever being adapted to rest on and'ride freely along the outer inclined face of the adjacent leg device and swing it down when the inner end of the lever is swung up, stops on the frame adapted to engage with the levers and limit the upswinging movements thereof, and spring means tending constantly to swing said levers in a direction to raise their inner ends.

3. The combination with a frame, of leg devices hinged to the frame, interconnected lever mechanism including levers pivoted to the frame near each end and outwardly from the corresponding leg devices, the inner end of eachlever:

being adapted to rest on and ride along the adjacent leg device and swing it down when the inner end of the lever is swung up, spring means tending constantly to swing said levers in the directions to raise their inner ends, the outer ends of the levers being extended far enough to project above a mattress on said frame when the levers are swung in directions to carry their outer ends inwardly, and a cross bar connecting together the extended outer ends of the levers at each end of the frame to serve as a handle and to hold the mattress when overlying the latter.

4. The combination with a frame, of leg devices hinged to the frame, interconnected lever mechanism including two levers pivoted to the frame near each end of the latter and outwardly from the corresponding leg devices, the inner end of each lever being adapted to rest on and ride along the adjacent leg device and swing it down when the inner end of the lever is swung up, stops to limit the swinging movements of the levers in directions to carry their inner ends up, the outer ends of the levers extending outwardly beyond the ends of said frame when the levers are in engagement with said stops, and spring means tending constantly to swing said levers in directions to raise their inner ends.

5. The combination with a irame, of leg devices hinged to the frame, interconnected lever mechanism including two levers pivoted to the frame near each end of the latter and outwardly from the corresponding leg devices, the inner end of each lever being adapted to rest on and ride along the adjacent leg device and swing it down when the inner end of the lever is swung up, stops to limit the swinging movements of the levers in directions to carry their inner ends up, the outer ends of the levers extending outwardly beyond the ends of said frame when the levers are in engagement with said stops, a handle extending between and. fixed to the outer ends of the levers at corresponding ends of the frame,

and spring means tending constantly to swing 20 said levers in directions to raise their inner ends.

STEPHEN J. BLAHA. 

